Friday, October 9, 2009

Hey USCF, I QUIT

Just called the USCF office and demanded that they cancel my membership. The guy I spoke with said only USCF Executive Director Bill Hall can cancel a membership and that they'll have Hall call me.

Most USCF members are aware of the several years' long idiocy that has landed in the court systems from New York to California. I was threatened by one side late last year over the chess blog I had so I simply shut it down. To be honest, I had already tired of the situation so it was an easy decision to make. I left all the posts up including those I was being threatened over, so the bullies decidedly did NOT get what they wanted.

Now another party to the litigation idiocy is threatening me with "exposure" of certain untrue allegations. They have done this before to other people in and out of chess and the USCF has allowed them to remain members. I love chess. Other than this crap, I have liked being a USCF member since my high school days in the late 70's. However, the USCF lets these folks stick around and cause regular members money and strife.

No more, at least not for me. I'm cutting my ties with the USCF for good. Why should any chess fan go through this just to play a game? Until the USCF comes up with a membership code of conduct that penalizes this sort of behaviour I'm gone - and I've heard from loads of others for whom this is true.

Steve, I am really sorry that you have been put in this situation. The USCF needs more folks like you, not less. Eventually the litigation stuff should blow over. And when it does, I hope you'll return.

Steve in Tennessee lives in Nashville with his beautiful wife Lee while co-existing with two dogs and one cat. Among his passions are chess, the NFL Redskins, the MLB Nationals, and exercising his First and Second Amendment Rights.

"Yes, I cling to my faith and my guns, but not bitterly!"

I'm American by birth, Southern by choice, and Texan by the Grace of God. I just happen to live in Tennessee.